PALTSITS 

The  function  of  state  historian  of  New 
York. 


THE   FUNCTION 


OF 


STATE     HISTORIAN 

OF   NEW   YORK 


BY 
VICTOR    HUGO    PALTSITS 

State  Historian 


Read  before  The  New  York   State   Historical  Association 

at  its  Annual  Meeting  held  in  Albany, 

October  13,  1908 


ALBANY,  N.  Y. 
1909 


500       SEPARATES       FOR 
PRIVATE   DISTRIBUTION 


J.    B.   LYON  COMPANY 

PRINTERS 

ALBANY,    K.  Y. 


THE   FUNCTION    OF  STATE  HISTORIAN  OF 

NEW  YORK, 


By  Victor  Hugo  Paltsits,  State  Historian. 


Mr.  President,  Members  of  the  New  York  State  Historical 
Association,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen. —  Your  program  committee 
extended  a  very  generous  invitation  to  me  several  months  ago  to 
participate  in  your  proceedings  at  this  meeting,  and  they  re- 
quested me  to  "  talk  shop."  Their  cordiality  and  my  opportunity 
formed  a  speedy  coalition.  I  am  here,  therefore,  to  address  you 
concerning  "  The  Function  of  State  Historian  of  New  York." 
That  there  is  misapprehension  of  the  function  of  this  department 
of  the  State  government  cannot  be  denied.  Hence  I  rejoice  in 
this  opportunity  of  defining  what  it  is,  and  what  it  is  not.  I 
shall  enlarge  also  upon  a  neglected  function,  which  should  in 
terest  immensely  all  investigators  within  and  without  this  State, 
whether  historians,  economists,  sociologists,  exponents  of  political 
science,  or  members  of  the  legal  profession. 

The  oflice  of  State  Historian  of  New  York  is  a  distinct  State 
department,  whose  executive  officer  is  nominated  and  appointed 
by  the  Governor  "  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate  "  for  a  term  of  four  years.  This  department  was  created 
by  statute  at  the  118th  session  of  the  Legislature,  as  chapter  393 
of  the  Laws  of  1895.     The  act  reads  as  follows: 

"CHAPTER  393* 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  the  appointment  of  a   State  historian  and  for  the 
compilation  of  the   military  and  naval  records  of   the   State. 

Became  a  law  April  23,   1895,  with  the  approval  of  the  Governor.     Passed, 
three-fifths  being  present. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Neiv  York,  represented  in  Senate  arid  Assembly, 
do  enact  as  follows: 

Section  1.  Appointment  and  duties  of  state  historian.  The  governor 
shall  appoint,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  senate,  a  State 
historian,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  collect,  collate,  compile,  edit  and  pre- 
pare for  publication  all  official  records,  memoranda  and  data  relative  to  the 

*  Laws  of  1895,  Vol.  I,  p.  23G. 

[3] 


colonial  wars,  war  of  the  revolution,  war  of  eighteen  hundred  and  twelve, 
Mexican  war,  and  war  of  the  rebellion,  together  with  all  official  records, 
memoranda  and  statistics  affecting  the  relations  between  this  commonwealth 
and  foreign  powers,  between  this  State  and  other  States  and  between  this 
State  and  the  United  States. 

§  2.  Term  and  compensation. —  Stenographer.  Said  appointment  is  to 
continue  for  a  period  of  four  years  from  the  date  thereof.  Said  historian 
shall  receive  for  his  services  the  sum  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
per  annum,  which  shall  include  all  necessary  traveling  expenses,  and  he  shall 
have  power  to  employ  a  stenographer,  whose  compensation  shall  not  exceed 
one  thousand  dollars  per  year. 

§  3.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  with  this  act  are  hereby 
repealed. 

§  4.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately." 

The  second  section  of  this  act  was  amended  at  the  123d  session 
of  the  Legislature,  as  chapter  63  of  the  Laws  of  1900,  and  the 
amendment  provided  by  substitution  for  the  employment  of  a 
chief  clerk,  but  in  no  other  way  altered  the  original  act  of  1895. 
The  text  of  the  amendment  is  as  follows: 

"CHAPTER   63.* 
AN  ACT  to  amend  section  two  of  chapter  three  hundred  and  ninety-three  of 
the  laws  of  eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-five,  entitled  '  An  act-  to  provide 
for  the  appointment  of  a  state  historian  and  for  the  compilation  of  the 
military  records  of  the  state.' 

Became  a  law,  March   1,   1900,  with  the  approval  of  the  Governor.     Passed, 
three-fifths  being   present. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly, 
do  enact  as  follows: 

Section  1.  Act  amended.  Section  two  of  chapter  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  of  the  laws  of  eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-five,  entitled  'An  act  to 
provide  for  the  appointment  of  a  state  historian  and  for  the  compilation 
of  the  military  and  naval  records  of  the  state,'  is  hereby  amended  to  read 
as  follows: 

§  2.  State  historian,  appointment,  salary,  etc.  Said  appointment  is  to 
continue  for  a  period  of  four  years  from  the  date  thereof.  Said  historian 
shall  receive  for  his  services  the  sum  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
per  annum,  which  shall  include  all  necessary  traveling  expenses,  and  he  shall 
have  the  power  to  employ  a  chief  clerk,  whose  compensation  shall  not  exceed 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  per  year. 

§  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately." 

As  defined  by  the  act,  the  function  of  State  Historian  is  "  to 
collect,  collate,  compile,  edit  and  prepare  for  publication  all 
official  records,  memoranda  and  data  relative  to  the  colonial  wars, 


Laws  of  1900,  Vol.  I,  p.  122. 


war  of  the  revolution,  war  of  eighteen  hundred  and  twelve,  Mex- 
ican war,  and  war  of  the  rebellion,  together  with  all  official 
records,  memoranda  and  statistics  affecting  the  relations  between 
this  commonwealth  and  foreign  powers,  between  this  State  and 
other  States  and  between  this  State  and  the  United  States."  That 
presages  a  great  task,  even  if  the  meaning  in  spots  rests  in 
penumbra.  But  it  is  clearly  evident  that  only  "  official  records  " 
are  meant,  and  that  publication,  under  this  act,  of  bodies  of  man- 
uscripts owned  by  descendants  of  warriors  or  statesmen  is  pre- 
cluded, if  the  said  manuscripts  cannot  pass  muster  as  "  official 
records." 

Many  persons  err  in  believing  that  the  department's  function 
is  the  compilation  of  the  contemporary  history  of  the  State ;  some 
evince  an  idea  that  it  is  rich  in  the  possession  of  valuable  ar- 
chives, and  yet  others  seem  to  consider  it  a  bureau  of  genealogical 
research  or  a  place  where  any  citizen's  historical  nuts  are  cracked. 
Perhaps  these  notions  are  fallacies  of  equivocation,  for  not  many 
persons  could  define  the  designation  of  "  State  Historian."  It 
has  been  a  custom  of  the  department,  even  in  the  absence  of  statu- 
tory prescription,  to  answer  many  queries  propounded  by  corre- 
spondents from  anywhere,  and  often  several  hours  per  day  are 
devoted  to  this  kind  of  work.  But  the  point  is  this  —  it  is  not 
obligatory,  nor  can  it  be  permitted  to  interfere  with  the  specific 
obligations  of  documentation.  The  office  is  not  equipped  with  a 
genealogical  or  historical  library,  and  most  queries  necessitate  a 
time-consuming  journey  to  the  ISTew  York  State  Library  or  the 
State  departments.  Hence  untechnical  queries  "of  a  purely  genea- 
logical or  other  character  are  generally  referred  to  the  depart- 
ments which  are  equipped  with  literature,  manuscripts  and  clerks 
for  that  kind  of  work.  The  State  Historian's  staff  consists  of  a 
chief  clerk,  an  expert  copyist  and  a  page,  while  the  total  appro- 
priation for  the  fiscal  year,  which  began  on  October  1st,  is 
$8,334.* 

What  personal  equipment  should  the  State  Historian  have,  in 
view  of  his  obligations  ?  That  is  a  frank  question  and  shall  have 
a  frank  answer.  He  should  be  intensely  interested  in  his  work, 
and  not  consider  his  post  as  a  sinecure.  He  must  have  good  eyes, 
good  health,  capacity  for  arduous  toil  by  day  or  by  night,  and 
possess  administrative  ability.     He  should  be  familiar  with  the 

♦Divided  as  follows  —  State  Historian,  $4,500;  chief  clerk,  $1,500;  expert 
copyist,  $1,200;  page,  $384;  office  expenses,  $750. 


best  canons  of  historical  documentation,  criticism  and  systemati- 
zation,  and  have  personal  experience  in  deciphering  and  editing 
old  manuscripts.  He  should  hold  intercourse  with  historical 
scholars  and  enjoy  their  sympathetic  co-operation.  He  should  be 
a  bibliographer,  conversant  with  the  American  historical  litera- 
ture of  the  past,  and  be  abreast  of  the  constructive  historical  and 
archival  work  of  his  own  time.  This  is  not  a  chimerical  defini- 
tion and,  because  it  is  not,  enjoins  humility  and  striving  in  the 
incumbent. 

On  July  24,  1907,  the  present  State  Historian  was  commis- 
sioned, and  he  filed  his  oath  of  office  with  the  Secretary  of  State 
on  the  30th  day  of  that  month.  He  found  the  position  of  type- 
writer-stenographer vacant,  and  that  was  a  fortunate  circum- 
stance. Conventional  typewriter-stenographers  are  not  competent 
for  the  kind  of  work  which  insures  accuracy  in  documentation. 
He,  therefore,  was  unsuccessful  in  procuring  through  the  ordi- 
nary channels  of  the  State  Civil  Service  a  person  who  could  ful- 
fil the  requirements  of  former  experience  and  certification  by  a 
known  specialist.  For  seven  months  the  State  Historian  was  his 
own  copyist,  during  which  time,  apart  from  other  duties,  he 
copied  with  pen  over  500  folios  of  documents  written  during  the 
years  1668  to  1673.  Competent  assistance,  however,  was  im- 
perative to  progress.  There  were,  indeed,  those  who  thought 
they  could  do  the  work,  but  who  were  unable  to  stand  the  tests  or 
qualify  in  accordance  with  the  conditions.  Finally,  through  the 
good  offices  of  his  friend,  Worthington  C.  Ford,  Chief  of  the 
Division  of  Mamiscripts  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  under 
rule  8,  section  10,  of  the  State  Civil  Service  Kules,  he  appointed 
as  expert  copyist,  a  young  man  who  had  been  engaged  about  eight 
years  in  the  said  Division  of  Manuscripts  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress. The  correct  transcription  of  old  manuscripts  is  a  science. 
The  system  or  form  of  handwriting  in  the  early  records  varies 
with  every  generation.  The  numerous  abbreviations  of  the  early 
scribes  were  adopted  by  the  first  typographers,  and  many  of  these 
conventionalities  persisted  in  manuscripts  beyond  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  a  few  of  them  are  yet  in  use  to  this  day.* 

It  will  interest  you,  no  doubt,  to  learn  what  volumes  are  being 
prepared  for  publication.  A  typewritten  index  to  the  "  Public 
Papers  of  George  Clinton,"  embracing  about  3,000  folios,  which 


*  For  a  popular  Jiandbook  see  Thoyts,  How  to  decipher  and  study  old  docu- 
ments.   Second  edition.     London,   1903. 


had  been  prepared  before  the  present  incumbency,  is  in  course  of 
severe  revamping.  An  extensive  series  has  been  begun,  the  first 
volume  of  which  covers  the  years  1668  to  1673,  entitled,  "  Min- 
utes of  the  Executive  Council  of  the  Province  of  New  York," 
accompanied  by  collateral  and  illustrative  documents,  such  as 
orders,  warrants,  letters,  proclamations,  commissions,  etc.  The 
series,  here  begun,  when  completed  will  prove  to  be  among  the 
largest  and  best  ever  undertaken  for  the  Colonial  period.  An- 
other volume  in  advanced  state  of  preparation  is  the  "  Minutes 
of  the  Commissioners  for  Detecting  and  Defeating  Conspiracies 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  1778-1781,  Albany  Sessions."  Quite 
recently  the  copying  for  yet  another  volume  was  begun.  It  is  the 
"  Minutes  of  the  Committee  of  the  City  and  County  of  Albany," 
otherwise  the  Committe  of  Safety,  embracing  the  years  1775  to 
1778.  In  addition  to  the  works  mentioned,  I  expect  to  plan  at 
the  earliest  opportunity  another  series  of  unusual  worth  —  the 
Assembly  Papers,  which  begin  with  the  year  of  the  constitutional 
erection  of  the  State,  in  1777.  They  are  scattered  and  it  will 
require  patience  and  care  to  co-ordinate  them  for  publication. 

In  all  these  works  we  seek  the  strictest  accuracy  of  text  in  copy 
and  in  print  that  human  endeavor  can  achieve.  Every  bit  of 
copy  and  printer's  proof  will  be  read  by  me  personally  with  the 
original  manuscripts;  it  is  no  sinecure,  but  it  is  as  it  should  be. 
As  to  editorial  apparatus,  I  may  say,  I  do  not  believe  in  flam- 
boyant introductions,  scare  headings,  irrelevant  footnotes,  nor 
history  peppered  with  pyrotechnics ;  neither  am  I  in  accord  with 
those  who  abjure  all  form  and  comeliness  of  diction.  In  an  inter- 
view with  the  editor  of  a  local  newspaper  of  New  York,  I  stated 
my  ideals  in  the  following  words: 

"  The  State  of  New  York  has  been  generous  in  appropriations 
to  aid  the  cause  of  history,  but  has  not  always  been  dealt  with 
fairly,  in  the  results  returned  by  the  recipients  of  her  generosity, 
or  by  those  who  have  been  entrusted  with  the  publication  of  her 
archives. 

"  The  modern  historical  canons  are  exacting,  and  an  editor 
must  be  able  to  honor  them.  He  must  reproduce  faithfully  all 
of  the  idiosyncracies  of  every  letter,  document  or  other  manu- 
script, and  be  able  to  interpret  the  varying  forms  of  handwriting, 
often  written  badly,  illiterate,  faded  and  even  torn  or  rotten. 
These  must  be  presented  by  typography  in  an  orderly  form,  with 


such  accompanying  critical  apparatus  as  each  case  may  suggest 
or  require. 

"  In  the  treatment  of  archives  there  is  a  triune  function  — 
preservation,  co-ordination,  and  publication.  In  other  words, 
first  preserve  the  records  against  theft,  fire,  damp,  or  wanton  de- 
struction; second,  when  preserved  properly  in  each  departmei'.o 
of  every  city,  town,  village  and  hamlet,  and  in  the  State  by  the 
State  departments,  the  next  step  is  co-ordination  or  a  proper 
scientific  classification,  together  with  indexes  as  media  for  ready 
accessibility ;  the  third  stage  follows  naturally,  because  when  they 
are  properly  preserved  and  classified,  the  publication  is  easy  to  an 
archivist. 

"  Let  no  one  believe  that  these  things  are  being  done  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  for  it  is  an  unfortunate  fact  that  she  is  far 
behind  other  States,  for  example,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  Alabama,  and  Mississippi.  But  there  is  an  awaken- 
ing among  the  students  of  history  in  the  State,  growing  out  of  a 
world-wide  movement,  which  will  bear  fruitage  and  make  for  the 
proper  administration  of  public  archives  throughout  the  State  and 
under  the  official  direction  of  the  State." 

Let  me  now  engage  your  attention  for  the  consideration  of  the 
great  need  of  the  scientific  preservation  and  supervision  of  public 
records.  As  one  of  the  seven  members  of  the  Public  Archives 
Commission  of  the  American  Historical  Association  and  as  State 
Historian,  this  thing  is  uppermost  in  my  mind.  That  we  in  this 
State  are  singularly  derelict  can  be  shown,  even  if  we  do  not  stand 
alone  as  a  horrible  example.  By  comparison  with  European  ac- 
tivities and  the  provision  in  some  of  our  own  States,  our  State 
has  reason  to  be  ashamed. 

In  Sweden,  the  country  is  divided  into  several  provincial 
depots,  each  in  charge  of  a  trained  archivist,  supervised  by  the 
Director  of  the  National  Archives,  and  to  whom  the  head  of  each 
provincial  depot  is  obliged  to  report  at  the  beginning  of  each  new 
year  the  results  attained  by  him  in  his  administration  of  the 
previous  year.  The  National  Archives  are  constituted  the  central 
authority  of  all  the  public  archives  of  Sweden.* 

On  June  17,  1891,  a  national  society  of  Dutch  archivists  was 
organized  at  Haarlem,  having  for  its  object  the  promotion  of  a 

*  Article  by  Dr.  S.  BeTgh  on  "  La  nouvelle  Organisation  des  Archives  de 
Suede,"  in  Le  Bibliographe  Moderne,  vol.  XI   (1907),  pp.  329,  333. 


9 

more  scientific  organization  of  archives  in  the  nation  under  a 
unified  system.  That  this  laudable  purpose  might  be  successful, 
an  annual  meeting  is  held  every  summer  at  some  place  selected 
at  the  preceding  conference.  The  stimuli  of  these  meetings  have 
worked  wonders  in  Holland,  and  the  good  work  has  received 
hearty  accord  from  archivists  in  other  nations  of  Europe.  One  of 
the  products  of  these  assemblies  was  the  publication  in  Dutch  of 
a  guide  for  the  administration,  classification  and  description  of 
archives,  which  has  since  been  translated  and  adapted  for  the  use 
of  German  archivists.* 

In  Germany,  in  Denmark,  in  Belgium,  in  France  and  else- 
where trained  men  are  at  work  and  are  receiving  the  aid  of  gov- 
ernment. In  every  progressive  country  of  Europe  the  centraliza- 
tion and  proper  administration  of  the  national  and  provincial 
archives  has  arrested  attention  in  official  and  scholarly  circles. 
The  publication  of  inventories,  indexes,  registers,  calendars  or 
other  guides  to  the  contents  of  archival  depots  is  carried  out  ex- 
tensively. The  European  archivists  meet  in  international  con- 
gresses and  between  times  do  progressive  work.f 

Time  does  not  permit  me  to  enlarge  upon  European  conditions. 
What  is  the  situation  in  the  United  States?  Recent  tendencies 
indicate  a  desire  "  to  provide  more  adequately  for  the  care  of  the 
State  archives,"  but  reveal  also  "  the  general  neglect  on  the  part 
of  the  States  to  make  provision  for  the  adequate  supervision  of 
the  local  records  in  the  custody  of  the  various  county,  city,  town 
and  other  local  officials."  %  Only  in  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island 
and  Connecticut  is  any  State  supervision  provided  over  local 
records.  The  office  of  commissioner  of  public  records  in  Massa- 
chusetts was  made  permanent  in  1892,  but  much  good  work  was 
performed  during  several  years  prior  thereto  by  this  officer.  The 
Rhode  Island  commisisoner,  since  1896,  has  authority  to  investi- 


*Anleitung  zum  Ordnen  und  Beschreiben  von  Archiven,  von  Dr.  S.  Muller, 
Dr.  J.  A.  Feith  und  Dr.  R.  Fruin,  Direktoren  der  Staatsarchive  in  Utrecht, 
Groningen  und  Middelburg.  Fur  deutsche  Archivare  bearbeitet  von  Dr. 
Hans  Kaiser.     Leipzig,  1905. 

f  Information  about  the  law  and  administration  of  archives  in  Holland 
is  given  in  the  Nederlandsch  Archievenblad,  1907-1908;  of  Belgium  in  the 
Revue  des  Bibliothdques  et  Archives  de  Belgigue,  1907-1908.  The  latter 
periodical  chronicles  also  the  work  of  the  international  congress,  whose  next 
seance  will  be  held  in  1910. 

±  Report  of  the  Public  Archives  Commission  of  the  American  Historical 
Association,  December  28,  1906,  in  Annual  Report,  1906,  vol.  II,  p.  11. 


10 

gate  any  official  State  or  local  records,  and  also  such  parish  and 
church  records  as  he  may  be  able  to  locate  of  extinct  and  active 
church  organizations.  His  authority  is  not  mandatory  over 
officials  as  to  preservation.  The  commissioner  of  Connecticut 
supervises  and  reports  to  the  Governor,  with  recommendations. 
Alabama,  Mississippi,  West  Virginia  and  Indiana  have  depart- 
ments of  archives  and  history,  created  and  supported  by  legisla- 
tion. Of  them  the  late  Eobcrt  T.  Swan  has  said :  "  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  States  which  have  established  departments  of  ar- 
chives and  history  will  not  stop  at  this  provision  for  the  care  of 
the  records  chiefly  to  be  found  in  the  custody  of  the  State  depart- 
ments, but  will  take  action  to  recover  and  care  for  the  valuable 
records  fast  going  to  destruction  scattered  through  the  counties, 
towns,  and  villages."  * 

The  Legislature  of  Xew  Jersey,  in  1897,  established  a  public 
record  commission  of  three  persons,  for  inquiring  "  into  the 
nature  and  condition  of  the  public  records  *  *  *  and  the  several 
counties,  townships,  cities,  and  other  municipalities."  They  were 
to  report  to  the  Governor  from  time  to  time  and  make  recom- 
mendations. 

In  1903  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  created  a  division  of 
public  records  in  connection  with  its  State  Library,  and  provided 
furthermore  for  the  appointment,  annually,  of  an  advisory  com- 
mission of  public  records.     Good  results  are  reported. 

Maryland  has  a  public  records  commission  of  three  members, 
created  in  1904,  to  examine  into  conditions  and  report  thereon 
to  the  general  assembly. 

The  Florida  Legislature  of  1905  created  a  division  of  public 
records,  having  jurisdiction  of  State  and  county  records. 

In  1905  the  Legislature  of  Hawaii  established  a  board  of 
public  archives,  with  authority  to  collect  all  public  archives  and 
arrange,  classify,  and  inventory  them.  A  new  hall  of  records  for 
their  safekeeping  was  also  provided. 

Since  1905  Kansas  has  a  discretionary  provision  for  turning 
over  to  the  Kansas  Historical  Society  any  State,  county,  or  other 
official  records  not  required  to  be  kept  otherwise  by  law  three 
years  after  the  current  use  of  the  same. 

*  Summary  of  the  Present  State  of  Legislation  of  the  States  and  Terrv* 
tories  relative  to  the  Custody  and  Supervision  of  the  Public  Records,  by  the 
late  Robert  T.  Swan,  Commissioner  of  Public  Records  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, in  Annual  Report  of  Amer.  Hist.  Ass'n,  1906,  vol.  II.  I  have  used 
this  report  to  some  extent. 


11 

In  1906  the  Legislature  of  Iowa  provided  for  the  centralization 
of  "  all  the  original  public  documents,  papers,  letters,  records  and 
other  official  manuscripts  of  the  State  executive  and  administra- 
tive departments,  offices  or  officers,  councils,  boards,  bureaus,  and 
commissions,  ten  years  after  the  date  or  current  use  of  such  public 
documents,  papers,  letters,  records  or  other  official  manuscripts," 
and  provided  further  for  an  earlier  transfer  or  a  longer  retention, 
in  the  discretion  of  an  executive  council. 

In  most  of  the  States  and  territories  not  referred  to  in  the  fore- 
going memoranda,  the  treatment  of  manuscript  records  is  hetero- 
geneous. State  papers  are  in  the  custody  of  a  Secretary  of  State, 
or  heads  of  departments,  or  partly  allotted  to  a  State  library  or 
some  historical  society;  court  records  are  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  court  clerks;  county  records  are  deposited  with  county  clerks; 
and  city,  town  and  local  records  with  various  local  officers.  There 
is  no  State  supervision  for  their  care  and  preservation,  and  where 
statutory  provision  has  been  made  for  accessibility  and  use,  it 
pertains  to  specific  kinds  of  records  only,  such  as  deeds,  wills, 
court  records,  and  similar  papers  consulted  by  the  legal  profes- 
sion; or  to  legislative  papers  desired  by  legislators.  In  a  few 
States  a  sop  is  thrown  to  historical  commissions,  with  the  function 
of  collecting  historical  data,  the  compilation  of  State  gazetteers, 
military  rosters,  or  publication  of  certain  archives,  and  in  yet 
other  States  the  historical  interest  is  confined  to  small  appropria- 
tions to  some  historical  society  in  the  State.  New  York  and 
Maine  are  the  only  States  which  have  an  official  known  as  State 
Historian.  It  is  a  regrettable  fact  that  States  which  appropriate 
funds  most  liberally  toward  less  urgent  needs,  exhibit  a  singular 
penury  toward  the  safeguarding  of  their  public  records  —  the 
prime  sources  of  their  administrative,  social,  and  political 
history.* 

In  1901  the  Public  Archives  Commission  of  the  American 
Historical  Association  published  its  first  report,  and  the  bulk  of 
it  was  a  "  Eeport  on  the  Archives  and  Public  Eecords  of  the  State 
of  New  York  and  of  New  York  City,"  by  Dr.  Herbert  L.  Osgood, 
Professor  of  History  in  Columbia  University. f    A  pioneer  effort 


*  For  a  summary  of  "  What  other  States  have  done  for  their  History," 
see  Publications  of  the  Arkansas  Historical  Association,  vol.  I  (1906), 
pp.  28,  ff.  It  rather  underestimates  what  has  been  done  and  is  now  being 
done  in  the  purely  historical  line. 

fin  Annual  Report  of  Amer.  Hist.  Ass'n,  1900,  vol.  II  (Washington, 
1901),  pp.  67-250.  Also  issued  separately  with  its  own  title-page  and 
covers. 


12 

under  private  auspices,  it  has  been  awarded  the  highest  praise, 
and  it  has  served  many  a  forlorn  student  as  a  guide.  Admittedly 
it  is  far  from  complete  for  the  State.  It  says  to  the  State  and 
the  divisions  thereof :  "  Here  is  the  "way,  walk  ye  in  it."  This 
report  showed  that  records  were  found  in  frame  buildings  used 
for  business  purposes,  such  as  feed  stores,  glove  factories,  barber 
shops,  and  furniture  stores,  and  that  papers  were  kept  in  cellars 
and  mildewed,  in  wooden  cases,  in  wooden  desks,  loose  in  packing 
boxes,  in  lofts  and  garrets,  and  in  sheds  with  household  rubbish. 
The  report  declares  that  in  two  towns  of  Onondaga  County  the 
masses  of  stored  manuscripts  were  deliberately  burned  because 
they  were  considered  a  useless  burden.  Now,  the  records  are  the 
property  of  the  people,  and  as  such  are  legally  and  theoretically 
accessible  to  all.  Professor  Osgood  rightly  points  out  that  New 
York  has  never  legislated  for  the  supervision  and  control  of  the 
work  of  these  local  records,  whose  constituted  guardians  generally 
know  or  care  little  about  the  older  records,  removed  from  the  daily 
routine  of  their  offices.  He  says :  "  The  older  records,  there- 
fore, have  not  only  been  allowed  to  fall  into  neglect  and  to  remain 
practically  inaccessible  to  inquirers,  but  even  precautions  against 
loss  or  damage  through  fire  or  other  accident,  change  of  officials, 
change  in  the  location  of  offices,  lending  of  records,  and  even 
positive  theft  have  not  always  been  taken."* 

We  are  cognizant  of  cases  of  wanton  destruction,  of  "  bor- 
rowed "  records,  of  papers  lost  by  theft  or  through  carelessness. 
A  few  may  be  mentioned.  A  number  of  the  early  volumes  of 
New  York  City  Deeds  (conveyances,  mortgages,  etc.),  are  missing 
from  the  Register's  Office.  A  correspondent  of  ours  was  recently 
informed  "  that  several  volumes  disappeared  during  the  incum- 
bency of  the  last  Register,  while  the  office  was  at  160  Nassau 
street,  after  the  old  Hall  of  Records  had  been  razed  and  before 
the  new  building  was  ready  for  occupancy."  You  recall,  no  doubt, 
the  return  this  summer  to  the  City  of  New  York  of  a  volume  of 
the  "  Minutes  of  the  Executive  Boards  of  the  Burgomasters  of 
New  Amsterdam,"  and  notarial  records  of  Walewyn  van  der  Veen, 
found  among  the  effects  of  the  late  Berthold  Fernow.f 


*  Osgood's  Keport,  p.  3,  of  the  separate  issue. 

t  They  were  printed  in  the  second  volume  of  Minutes  of  the  Orphanmasters 
Court  of  'New  Amsterdam,  translated  by  B.  Fernow,  published  at  New  York, 
by  Francis  P.  Harper,  in  1907.  Query:  Were  they  "borrowed"  and  by  what 
authority,  and  when?  A  digest  of  the  notarial  records  of  Walewyn  van  der 
Veen  had  actually  appeared  in  the  Year  Book  cf  the  Holland  Society  of  New 
York,  1900,  pp.  110-203. 


13 

About  five  years  ago  a  bookseller,  now  of  Peekskill,  but  then  of 
!New  York  City,  offered  in  his  catalogue  for  $500  the  following 
item: 

"  Rough  Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Common  Council,  1809  to 
1831,  and  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  1831  to  1847.  Bound  in  61 
volumes  of  varying  thickness,  nearly  folio  in  form.  These  are 
the  original  manuscript  minutes  of  these  two  branches  of  the  City 
Government,  only  a  portion  of  which  have  ever  been  printed.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  important  periods  of  the  War  of  1812, 
and  the  Mexican  War,  are  covered." 

As  soon  as  I  saw  the  item  in  the  catalogue,  I  recognized  that 
this  was,  indeed,  a  body  of  most  valuable  official  manuscripts,  to 
which  my  attention  had  been  directed  several  years  before,  during 
a  visit  to  the  City  Hall  of  Kew  York.  I  at  once  suggested  that 
the  item  should  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Hon.  Seth  Low, 
then  mayor,  which  was  actually  done.  Mayor  Low  turned  the 
case  over  to  his  corporation  counsel,  Mr.  George  L.  Rives,  who 
made  the  usual  inquiries  prior  to  an  execution  for  a  replevin. 
The  bookseller,  in  his  next  catalogue,  doubled  the  asking  price 
to  $1,000,  and  added  these  words  to  his  note :  "  These  were  a  part 
of  the  Archives  of  the  City  of  ISTew  York  till  some  one  with  ample 
authority  sold  them  to  a  junk  dealer  for  old  paper,  and  I  happen- 
ing to  find  them  in  his  possession  in  process  of  being  packed  for 
the  paper  mill,  they  were  thus  rescued  from  oblivion.  Some 
interested  person  called  the  city  officials'  attention  to  the  fact 
that  this  '  rubbish '  had  value  above  old  paper  price,  and  the 
'  junker '  was  asked  by  the  City  Representatives  who  interviewed 
him  why  he  '  did  not  know  enough  to  send  them  to  the  paper  mills 
and  have  done  with  them  ? '  With  too  little  sense  to  buy  them 
back  and  place  them  where  they  belong  and  thus  cover  their 
ignorance,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  place  me  in  a  false 
position,  because  I  had  sufficient  intelligence  at  command  to  be 
able  to  discern  gold  from  Dutch  metal.  I  can  give  a  clear  title 
to  these  records,  and  now  offer  them  for  sale  at  just  twice  the 
price  they  were  originally  advertised  at  by  me." 

Is  not  the  situation  shameful  ?  Can  you  contemplate  it  without 
pangs  of  sorrow  ?  Something  ought  to  be  done  by  the  State  with 
alacrity  to  remedy  its  continuance.  The  administration  of  this 
work  should  be  put  into  competent  hands,  provided  with  sufficient 
legal  authority  and  the  necessary  means  for  carrying  out  the  work. 


14 

It  matters  not  to  me  whether  this  added  burden  of  responsible 
work  is  placed  upon  my  shoulders,  or  whether  others  are  charged 
with  it.  The  main  thing  is,  get  the  work  going!  It  is  the  con- 
cern of  every  serious  investigator  in  the  State  and  without  the 
State.  It  is  a  duty  which  the  State  owes  to  itself  now  and  to  the 
generations  yet  unborn.  I  have  received  during  my  administra- 
tion many  letters  pointing  out  the  need  of  supervision  from  the 
most  reputable  sources,  among  these  I  may  mention:  Hon.  An- 
drew D.  White,  former  president  of  Cornell  University ;  Dr.  John 
H.  Finley,  president  of  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York; 
Dr.  Herbert  L.  Osgood,  of  Columbia  University;  Professor 
Charles  H.  Hull,  of  Cornell  University;  Dr.  J.  Franklin  Jameson, 
director  of  the  department  of  historical  research  in  the  Carnegie 
Institution;  Professors  W.  K.  Shepherd,  Charles  Beard,  William 
A.  Dunning,  Edwin  R.  Seligman,  and  Franklin  H.  Giddings,  all 
of  Columbia  University,  and  Professor  Hammond  Lamont,  for- 
merly of  Brown  University  and  now  editor  of  "  The  Nation." 
Surely  these  men  know  what  they  are  talking  about.  Shall  this 
thing  be  done  now  ?      Will  you  help  it  on  ? 


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